Famous In Love

“It was him! I knew it! As soon as he walked in I could tell. But now what? I can’t just go over and say Hello… He’ll think i’m weird–“

What happens next?

Recently I published a short story ‘The Last Bookstore’ (link at the end of this post) where the idea of the last bookstore in existence was explored. How did that happen? Why are books not being printed anymore, and how does this lowly bookstore survive?

Thinking about this made my creative instincts tingle and I started thinking about some other Bookstore shenanigans (yes you heard me, shenanigans!). Have you walked into a bookstore hoping to run into someone you know? Or an author who just happens to be perusing the aisles? Or maybe you’re hiding under a hat and trench coat, picking up books on the sly (Not sure why you’d want to do that, but hey, it’s your life)?

So, what would you do if you saw someone you DID want to see? Like a celeb, or the love of your life (you know, the one you haven’t spoken to you, but you’ve already planned out your wedding, kids names and basically your entire lives together)?
What about seeing that best friend you haven’t spoken to in ten years but always mean to catch up with?

How would you deal with it?
When i’m in a store of any kind, i’m embarrassed to say that I like to Hide.
If I know you (not those friends or family who I know really well – i’m talking those casual acquaintances, former friends, classmates, or a crush) and I see you in a store or shopping centre – I do EVERYTHING I can to Avoid you.

It’s not personal! If a stranger walked up to me in a store it would be totally different, but if we have had even ONE casual conversation, I just avoid you like the plague. I can only imagine how I would react if a celebrity was standing across the aisle, looking at a book on the shelf and reading the blurb (and WORSE if they were reading the blurb of MY book!).

It’s not that I hate people, on the contrary, I LOVE people! There is just something about running into someone you haven’t planned to see. You know, when your hair is up in a messy bun, you aren’t wearing ANY makeup and choose that hoodie with the stain on the front (that you told yourself this morning wasn’t too noticeable).

Having said ALL of that – if that same person was to come up to ME and say hello, it’s a DIFFERENT story. Yes, i’m still wearing that stained hoodie, my hair is still a disaster and the make up from last night which didn’t quite wipe off is probably streaming down my face – BUT I would still make an effort to chat with you!

Enemies, I fear, have a different ballgame! Running into a Stalker or someone who you vowed to forever have a centuries old, going over generations and bloodshed feud with, then I think it would be bad form to just walk up and give them a ‘Hey’.

I want to know how YOU react in those moments.
Would you chase that celeb until the shop owner gave you the stink eye because you chased away a customer (a famous one none the less!), or shrivel in the corner? What about casually following them once they leave to see where they go?

Who knows, maybe we’re destined to be together forever! That celebrity or crush is only a few books away!!

Let me know in the Comments below – and to check out why The Last Bookstore came into being, check the link below:

https://atomic-temporary-148610121.wpcomstaging.com/2019/11/29/the-last-bookstore-furious-fiction/

See you in the Adventures!

Christy Grace